Musto Skiff Open at Chew Valley Lake SC

The Musto Skiff Open Meeting was held at Chew Valley lake Sailing Club on the weekend of 12/13th March.

With the arrival of the recent spring weather, 13 Musto Skiffs made the trip to Chew Valley Lake to dust off the winter cobwebs for the first Open event of the season.

With the arrival of the recent spring weather, 13 Musto Skiffs made the trip to Chew Valley Lake to dust off the winter cobwebs for the first Open event of the season.

On Saturday the wind was blowing from the south east and varies from 5-10kts in races 1 and 2, rising to around a slightly steadier 12kts in the third. The race officer chose to set a windward-leeward to utilise the length of the lake. The wind however was regularly backing to come more over the hill and this lead to much variation wind strength and direction with most falling foul of a hole at some point during the day. Putting it simply, it was a game of snakes and ladders with much to made or lost by hitting the corners. James McIntosh (Stokes Bay) sailed well making the most of the conditions to lead over night with a 3, 1, 2 from Chris Wright (Carsington) with a 2, 2, 7.

Sunday dawned brightly but with the wind swung round to the west, again in 5-10kts, rising in the third to around 12kts. The wind was generally much gustier and variable and with the windward mark in the lee of the shore there ware many ladders to climb and snakes fall down here. Much frustration could be heard on the water! Again James McIntosh proved most adept in these conditions with a solid 1, 3, 3. Mike Palfreman and Dan Vincent of Stokes Bay were both making a charge up the leader board each recording a race win but were unable to shake off poor results from the previous day.

The overall leader board saw James McIntosh take the win with consistent top threes. Mike Palfreman claimed second with moments of glory and some to be forgotten. Jamie Hilton sneaked into third with a consistent set of results, nothing flash, nothing drastic.

Many thanks to Chew Valley sailing Club for their hospitality and to the race team who dealt very well with the conditions.

The next open meeting is at Rutland on 26th & 27th March by which time hopefully the containers from the worlds will have been unloaded to swell the fleet.